Now while he was serving as priest before God… there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard…” (Luke 1:8a, 11-13a ESV)
What do you do when your life gets interrupted?
Zechariah wasn’t expecting an angel that day. He was like us—an ordinary believer, someone who served God in his daily life and did the work God put before him.
And then God put something else in front of him. A sudden turn, a swerve in the road. A miracle. Unexpected fatherhood. A child who would grow up to prepare the way for Jesus.
No wonder he was troubled!
What about you, when your life gets interrupted? What do you do, when fear falls on you?
The angel points the way: “Don’t be afraid,” he says. “Your prayer has been heard…” Heard by whom? By the Lord who loves us, and who will hold us up, even as the world changes around us.
No matter what happens to us, God isn’t taken by surprise. He knew what was coming. He knows how you feel. He will not leave you to deal with it on your own. How could He? He is the God who came into this world—and into your life—to suffer and die and rise again, all to make you His own dearly loved child. He will not desert you now.
Prayer: Lord, when I’m unsettled, be with me and support me. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* When were you shocked and surprised—by something good?
* If you feel like sharing, what are you having trouble adjusting to now?
* When you are afraid, how do you find help in Jesus?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on December 1, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved